Motor vehicle headlight with a transverse lamp, having an improved lamp mount

Abstract

A motor vehicle headlight, in particular a foglight, has a lamp which is mounted with a reflector, together with a cover lens. The lamp has mounting means, such as an end cap, for engagement in a plane at right angles to the optical axis of the reflector. The reflector is made of injection moulded plastics, and is stripped from the mould in a direction parallel to the optical axis. The reflector comprises a base portion and at least one adjacent further portion. The further portion has a lamp hole formed through it, and an external surface of a wall of the reflector surrounding the lamp hole makes a rake angle with the direction of stripping the reflector from the mould. Between this external surface and the mounting means of the lamp itself, adapter means have surfaces for engagement by the mounting means of the lamp in a plane parallel to the optical axis.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A motor vehicle headlight including a lamp defining a lamp axis, a reflector defining an optical axis of the reflector, and means carried by the reflector for mounting the lamp in the reflector with the said lamp axis at right angles to the said optical axis, the lamp having mounting means for engagement in a plane at right angles to the lamp axis, the reflector being of plastics material injection moulded in a mould and stripped from the said mould in a direction corresponding to that of the said optical axis, the reflector comprising a base portion and at least one further portion adjacent to the said base portion, wherein the said further portion includes a lamp hole formed directly therein and a reflector wall surrounding the lamp hole and having an external surface, the said external surface defining a rake angle with respect to the said direction corresponding to the optical axis, and wherein the headlight further includes, between the said surface and the said mounting means of the lamp, adapter means defining seating surfaces in a plane parallel to the said optical axis, for engagement of the said mounting means of the lamp on said seating surfaces. 
     
     
       2. A headlight according to claim  1 , wherein the said adapter means comprise a generally cylindrical adapter member surrounding the lamp hole and having a first edge in engagement against the said outer surface and a second edge opposed to the said first edge, the said second edge defining seating surfaces for engagement by the said mounting means of the lamp. 
     
     
       3. A headlight according to claim  2 , wherein the said adapter member defines circles in planes inclined with respect to each other by an angle equal to the said rake angle, the said first and second edges of the adapter member being essentially defined by the said circles. 
     
     
       4. A headlight according to claim  2 , wherein the said external surface includes integral pads projecting therefrom, the said first edge of the adapter member bearing on the said pads. 
     
     
       5. A headlight according to claim  2 , wherein the said adapter member further has notches for bayonet mounting of the lamp. 
     
     
       6. A headlight according to claim  2 , wherein the adapter member has lugs lying in a plane at right angles to the axis of the said member and constituting the said seating surfaces defined by the second edge of the adapter member. 
     
     
       7. A headlight according to claim  2 , wherein the adapter member is formed by rolling a thin piece of sheet metal. 
     
     
       8. A headlight according to claim  1 , wherein the said adapter means comprise a plurality of pads projecting from the said external surface and formed integrally with the reflector by moulding. 
     
     
       9. A headlight according to claim  8 , further including a retaining member carried by the reflector and engaging the lamp for retention of the lamp in the reflector by pressure of the mounting means of the lamp on the said pads. 
     
     
       10. A headlight according to claim  9 , wherein the said further reflector portion includes a reinforcement, the said lamp hole and surface surrounding the lamp hole being formed in the reinforcement, the reflector having a generally U-shaped wall defining the said reinforcement, and the headlight further including a mask for masking the lamp, said mask having a fastening lug, the said generally U-shaped reflector wall including at least one reinforcement for receiving the said lug, wherein the said retaining member comprises a hairpin-typespring clip articulated on the said fastening lug of the mask. 
     
     
       11. A headlight according to claim  1 , wherein the said further reflector portion includes a reinforcement, the said lamp hole and surface surrounding the lamp hole being formed in the reinforcement. 
     
     
       12. A headlight according to claim  2 , wherein the reflector has a generally U-shaped wall defining the said reinforcement. 
     
     
       13. A headlight according to claim  12 , wherein the said generally U-shaped wall has at least one locating means for determining the angular position of the lamp. 
     
     
       14. A headlight according to claim  12 , further including a mask for masking the lamp, said mask having a fastening lug, the said generally U-shaped reflector wall including at least one reinforcement for receiving the said lug. 
     
     
       15. A headlight according to claim  14 , wherein the said fastening lug includes a portion defining an elastic tongue for biasing the lamp whereby to locate the lamp in a direction transverse to the said lamp axis.